Time's Healing Hand
by Blackout07
Summary: Will suddenly finds himself single after his second long relationship. What will ensue when Karen, Jack, and Grace try to help? Only time will tell.
1. The Bar

"Keep em comin'"

That's all he ever heard himself say anymore. Ever since Vince had broken up with him it had been one bar after another. Sure, every now and then some hot young guy would hit on him and they would have a night or two of hot sex, but Will knew he was getting up there in age. Just a few nights ago he was reminded of this. He was at his usual hangout, The Dirty Dollar, and spotted a guy in his late twenties. The guy gave Will that wink that said "Hey, come get me," so he bought the guy a few drinks. After about ten minutes he finally gathered the courage to go talk to him. Will was still attractive, he knew this, but he also knew he'd have to be charming as hell to get with this guy. From what he saw the moment he walked over to the guy, Will knew it wasn't going to work. "You're just too old for me...sorry." Those were his last words before Will found himself, yet again, crying into a pint of Ben & Jerry's.

Jack tried to cheer him up, even letting Will fuck him a few times, but it never worked. He knew Will was devastated. His second long term relationship had failed, but mostly, it had failed, again, on the seventh year. "There's no amount of counseling, random hookups, or pints of ice cream that are going to help you, Will. You've got to put him behind you. Just do what I do: don't get attached."

Those words were running through his head as he was pounding back his sixth shot. Will wasn't the type to do heavy drinking, but it being a month after Vince left him, he saw it as a good enough reason to.

"One more, then I'm done" he heard himself say aloud to the bartender. It was then he heard that familiar witch cackle he'd grown to love.

"Ooohh Smitty...how do you do it? I just don't see how you take this crap from everybody."

"Karen?" His speech was getting a little slurred by now, after seven shots in one hour.

"Wi...Will? What are you doing here?...and why aren't you with your _husband_?"

He felt that sarcastic tone in her voice she was famous for, but he knew she had good intentions. After all, it had been her who had finally gotten him and Vince together.

_Oh god...there's that name again_...

He could feel the tears welling in his eyes, and he knew he had to get out of there fast.

"I...I have to go..." His voice cracked on the last word. He laid thirty bucks on the bar counter and headed for the door, wishing, just hoping that someone would stop him. No one did. _No big surprise there_ he thought to himself. But then he heard something, a shrill cry over the rain that had been falling for two days now. It was Karen.

"Look, Karen...I know you mean well, but what I need now is Vince. I just...gah, I just need to know why. An 'IT WAS ME. I STILL LOVE YOU, BUT JUST CAN'T ANYMORE' doesn't do it for me. Okay?"

Karen stood there in her Chanel pumps and mink coat getting soaked. She actually felt pathetic at that moment. Will was one of her best friends, but now, when he needed someone, she couldn't get him. Usually she could get anyone at any time, after all, she was Karen Walker. But now, when a nobody ex-cop from Brooklyn needed to be found, she was helpless.

"Will..you know I care about you, and I hate to see you like this, but damn man, wake up! Life isn't going to always give you the answers you want, or even need. When Stan did finally, actually die...it hurt. No one would tell me what happened, or why I couldn't even see him!" A tear started forming in her eye. "Well...look at that, looks like I need some more BoTox...haha...ha..."

Will just stood there. Right in front of him stood someone who he knew felt like he did, but he just couldn't stand it, he had to get out of there, and fast.

"Karen, there's nothing more I'd love right now than to just sit and talk this out, but I just can't. Not with you, not with anybody, I'm sorry."

He hailed a cab and got in. Driving away, he just watched the meter click higher and higher, he didn't dare look back in fear of what he would see.

Standing in the same spot, Karen collapsed. A rush of people came to her side and called an ambulance. No one knew it, but Karen Walker had just died of a broken heart.


	2. The Funeral

"It's my fault, all my fault..."

Laying in bed Will looked over at the clock: 4:12 AM. The funeral was a little under eight hours away, but he just couldn't stand the though of going. He'd been the one who left her in the rain, the one who caused her panic attack that lead to her death, there's no way he could go.

A knock came at his door. "Will, Will, you up? It's almost nine." Grace slowly opened the door, Will was just laying there. Knowing Will, Grace knew he wouldn't do anything that stupid, but in light of recent events, even she wasn't sure. Walking over she shook the bed a little, nothing happened. She shook it again...and again, nothing happened. She got on the bed and jumped. A slight moan escaped Will's lips and he waved his arms around trying to get her to stop. Grace got the point and sat down next to him.

"Will," she started rubbing his back, "you have to get up. I know you don't feel good, but you have to go...it's what Karen would have wanted."

Will started sobbing. First he had lost the love of his life, and now he'd lost a close friend. Both had been his fault. How? He didn't know exactly, but he knew that they were gone because of him.

He tried to talk, but his mouth was too dry, all he could manage was a cough.

"Aaack...mind getting me some water? Not like I haven't cried enough of it, but I could use some."

Without a word, Grace ran to the kitchen to get him some water. While the water was running, Will managed to get himself up. Any other day he would have been in little more than his boxers, but last night he couldn't bring himself to undress. Collapsing into bed was all he could manage.

Grace walked in with a tall glass of water and handed it to Will. He took a nice long drink, draining half the glass, and sat down.

"I...I just can't, Grace. I can't even live with myself right now, how can I make myself face her?"

Tears started in his eyes, Grace sat beside him, wrapped her arms around him like she always did at times like this, and leaned against him. She knew there wasn't much she could do to make him feel better, all she knew was to stay there.

After about half an hour she finally talked. "Will...we have to get ready, the funeral starts in two hours."

"Two hours?" he sniffed, "Why do we have to get ready now?"

Grace pushed away and leave him that "are you serious?" look. "...I...I have to shave my legs..." She pulled up her pajamas.

"Ew...Grace put those away!"

She pushed him a little too hard, and he fell off the bed. She couldn't help but laugh. "You should really start going back to the gym again."

"Go shave your legs, Babushka."

They both smiled; Grace headed towards the bathroom while Will headed towards his closet. Now that Grace was gone, he broke down again. Tears welled up in his eyes and he couldn't even pick out a tie. The black one was in his hand, but that was as far as he could go. The suit was hung up and ready, but fear stopped him.

Grace walked up to him. He choked at her touch. "Uh..uh..uh," he stuttered, "I don't know if I can do this."

"Will...you have to. C'mon, get dressed and let's go. Everyone's going to be crying anyway, you won't stand out."

She walked over to his closet and got Will's clothes. She laid them in the bed and waited.

The pastor had just finished talking about Karen, her life, and the charities she helped out. Most of the people there had started crying when they heard of all the charity work she did. They never knew she was so kind, but now, now they missed her. Will knew this all, and it made him cry even more. Grace kept rubbing his back, but now it was time for him to speak. The list of people to speak was winding down, he was next to last but still not ready. He stood up, walked to the aisle, and took that long walk up to the podium.

"Wh...what can yo–you..." He started crying again. Grace stood up and started to walk towards him, but he started speaking again. "I—I...I just can't do this, I'm sorry."

He stepped down and took one last look at Karen's casket before walking out of the church. Grace went after him. After all, she was standing already.

"Will!...WILL! Stop right now!"

He stopped dead in his tracks and fell to his knees. Tear were streaming down his face, falling on the floor and starting a small puddle.

Grace was a caring person, but this was her limit. She had put up with enough. She stood next to him and said, "Will, either you pick yourself up and apologize to those people, or...or, or I don't even know right now. But I can promise you things wouldn't be good."

Will stayed down, he couldn't get up, so Grace walked out. "That's it, Will...I'm done playing Ms. Psychologist every time you break down like this!"

The last thing he remembered was the floor, and that cold puddle of tears on his face. His mind blanked, and everything went black.


End file.
